Agenda item

To consider procedural issues in advance of the hearing of a complaint against a member of a council covered by the Joint Standards Committee.

Members considered a report on issues relating to the proposed hearing of a complaint against a member of a council covered by the Joint Standards Committee. 

Members had initially considered this complaint while sitting as an Assessments Sub-Committee on 1 and 8 August.  As they were taking decisions in lieu of the Monitoring Officer in this case, the current meeting gave them an opportunity to review the pre-hearing responses received at the previous meeting and determine:

·        Whether there was now sufficient information to decide, without the need for a full hearing, if there had been a breach of the code or not;

·        Whether the investigation should be re-opened; or

·        Whether the matter should still proceed to a hearing.

Having taken into account the views of the Independent Person, it was

Resolved:  (i)      That the matter not proceed to a hearing and that no further action be taken.

Reason:     The Sub-Committee accepts the conclusion of the Investigating Officer that there has been no breach of the Code of Conduct in this case, and this view has not been altered by the content of the additional information received.